Two-horse draft-equalizer.



N0. 643,404. Patented Feb. 8,1900. G. L. EASUN.

TWO HORSE. DRAFT EOUALIZER.

(Application filed July 21, 1899,)

(No Model N ow" FFTEPS co.v pumaumo. WASHINGTON. n. a.

STATES FFTCEB ATENT GEORGE L. EASON, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,404, dated February 13, 1900. Application filed July 21,1899. Serial No. 724,620. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE L. EASON, a

'citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Two- Horse Draft-Equalizer, of which the following is a specification.

My object is to provide a simple, strong, durable, and efficient means of detachably connecting a doubletree with the pole of a vehicle without weakening the doubletree and in such a manner that the doubletree will be self'adjusting relative to the pole and two horses hitched to the ends of the doubletree, and as required to serve as an evener, so that when either one of the horses quickens his pace the long arm of the doubletree gives the rear horse the advantage he should always have. Heretofore doubletrees have been pivoted by means of pins in such a manner that the pin was at all times the fulcrum and center of the vibratory motions of the doubletree and the only bearing through which the draft force of the horses hitched to the ends of the doubletree was transferred from the doubletree to the pole.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of an evener device with a doubletree and pole, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a metal strap and bearing adapted to be fixedto a doubletree to admit a pin to pass through the hearing as required to connect a doubletree with a pole. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a metal clevis or frame adapted to support a doubletree on a pole and to serve as an evener. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing all the parts combined as required for practical use.

The letterA designates a metal strap adapted to overlie the rear edge of a wooden donbletree and to be fixed thereto by means of screws. It has an integral lateral projection B at its center, an elongated opening therein adapted to allow a coupling-pin to be extended therethrough as required for detachably connecting a doubletree with a pole by means of my evener device.

0 is a portion of the evener device in the form of a clevis provided with coinciding pin-holes in its top and bottom rear end portions and an integral cross-bar D at its front, that has a double-inclined curve on its rear face adapted to be engaged by the front straight edge of the doubletree pivotally connected with the clevis portion 0, as shown in Fig. 3 and as required to shift the line of draft from the center of the pole to one side of the pole when the horses do not keep even pace and the doubletree assumes an inclined position relative to the pole, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. At the front and center of the b0ttom of the cross-barD is an extension F, provided with a bolt-hole. The rear closed end is adapted for connecting stay-chains therewith.

H is a doubletree to which the metal reinforcing-strap Aand bearer B are fixed.

J represents a pole to which the evener de vice (J D F and the doubletree H are jointly and detachably connected by means of the coupling bolt or pin K, that is extended down through the coinciding holes in the evener, the elongated opening or eye of the metal strap fixed to the doubletree and the pole, and the bolt L passed down through the bolthole at the front of the evener device and the pole and secured by means of a nut at its bottom. (Not shown.)

In the practical use of my invention when the doubletree is in its normal right-angled position relative to the pole and the line of advance both horses hitched to the ends of the doubletree will apply equal draft force. The same result is obtained by means of my invention when one horse is in advance of the other and the doubletree assumes an inclined position across the pole, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, because the pivotal point of the doubletree is shifted toward the horse that is in advance by a rearward and also longitudinal movem ent of the doubletree,allowed by the slot in the projection 13 of the fixed part A, and the leverage of the end portion of the doubletree to which the advanced horse is hitched is diminished and that to which the rear horse is hitched is increased, so that the power applied by the rear horse plus the increased leverage of the doubletree on his side of the pole will equal the power applied by the advanced horse. It is therefore obvious that the ambitious horse in advance will expend more animal power, but not draw more than half of the load, while the rear horse will be better enabled by the increase of leverage of the doubletree end portion to which he is hitched to regain alinement with the advanced horse, and that my device will therefore facilitate keeping two horses even while drawing a loaded Wagon. that the elongated hole in the metal strap is essential in allowing the doubletree to so change position relative to the pole as to allow the front edge of the doubletree to engage one of the inclined curves on the inside face of the part B, so-that the point at which the doubletree is engaged becomes the pivot upon which the doubletree vibrates.

Having thus described my invention and its operation, its utility is obvious, and what I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent therefor, is-

1. As a new article of manufacture, an evener device, adapted for supporting and operating a doubletree on the pole of avehicle, consisting of a frame in the form of a clevis having coinciding bolt-holes in its top and bottom portions, an integral cross-bar-at its front end having a double-inclined inside face It is also obvious and a projection at its front and bottom provided with a bolt-hole. 7

2. A two-horse draft-equalizer comprising a frame in the form of a clevis having coinciding bolt-holes and an integral cross-bar at D at its front end provided with a double-inclined inside face, and a wooden doubletree I-I having a metal reinforcing-strap A fixed to its rear edge and center and an integral projection B having an elongated bolt-hole, in combination with the pole o'f'a vehicle, as shown and described to operate in the manner set forth.

GEORGE L. EASON.

W'itnesses:

JAs. BARELS, THOMAS G. ORWIG. 

